SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
As Northern Arts and Cultural Centre wraps up its 31st season this week, it will end on a strong note as violinist James Ehnes takes the stage tomorrow night.

Ehnes, a Juno and Grammy Award-winning performer from Brandon, Man., will be joined by pianist Andrew Armstrong in concert. The bill will include the world premiere of a classical piece written by Carmen Braden called Magnetic North, along with other compositions from Beethoven and Handel.

Thursday's show will be the eigth of 25 stops along a national tour featuring Ehnes and Armstrong. Ehnes said he is still refining Braden's piece but is excited to perform it for the first time in front of the composer.

"It has been a lot of fun getting to know it and working on it," Ehnes said. "It is really well written for the violin and the piano and is based on these ideas of magnets and the magnetic north. We are having a great time getting to know it."

He added that it was important to debut the piece in front of the artist in her hometown, so it hasn't been performed anywhere else on the tour so far.

"We really wanted to do the world premiere in Yellowknife," he said. "We will then take it to Iqaluit and Toronto and it will then become part of our repertoire. It is a special time for Carmen and it is exciting to play it in front of the composer and be in the composer's hometown."

Braden submitted the piece about two months ago after requesting through NACC that Ehnes play the piece. She hopes her art will convey that magnetism has the powers to attract and repel, through the momentum and tension of the music.

"I combine two ideas in Magnetic North," Braden explained. "One is the idea of the pull of the North to draw people here as a magnetism of the place itself. But I've also added some interesting ideas of magnets and the magnetic North Pole. I bring these ideas which are scientific or physical concepts and combine them into the piece of work."

Braden said she was most excited that her music will connect with Canadian audiences who are engaged with classical music, while giving a boost to Yellowknife-based artists. She expects Ehnes will provide a stepping-stone for her music career.

"I have had the privilege to work with fantastic artists in the past and his calibre is world-class," Braden said. "To have him play in Yellowknife and engage with a local musician like myself on such a generous and welcoming level is a huge honour for me. It is also a real tribute to the musical community here, which I credit as producing me because I grew up here and have come back here to work."

Marie Coderre, executive and artistic director of NACC said typically securing acts for a season takes place at least a year ahead of time. She said Ehnes was first in Yellowknife in 2012 on tour with the National Arts Centre Orchestra. After learning he was touring, she said it was lucky to have him back again.

"Having him come to the theatre is a real privilege and hopefully he can come again," she said.

"He loves the North so much that it was a priority for him to come back. It was definitely something that he really connected with in this region of the world."

NACC's season will end with its two Mentee series performances by Natasha Duchene on May 20 and Steve Whittaker and Bryce Styan on May 21.

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